In Bhubaneshwar the
orientalist is in for a delightful break . The temples of Laxmaneswar,
Satrughaneshwar and Bharateswara built in the 6th Century AD are
relics of early religious shrines in Orissa.

Parasurameswara Temple
built in 650 AD is one of the few earliest temples of Bhubaneshwar.
This temple built in the Kalinga style of temple architecture was
dedicated to Lord Siva but there are images of Lord Vishnu, Yama,
Surya and seven Mother Godesses. In typical fashion, it is liberally
sculpted with amourous couples, animals and floral motifs.

Just south of
Parasurameswara temple is the Swaranajaleswara temple. Built in a
similar style, the motifs on the walls however differ, depicting
scenes from the Ramayana.

Rajarani
Temple (C 1100 AD)
The Rajarani temple, is an essay in grace and poise and is
particularly interesting in that it has no presiding deity. The name
of this temple is supposed to be derived from the red- gold sand stone
used - Rajarani being the local name for the stone. The Deul is
intricately carved with figurines in various stages of daily chores.
The lower portion of the Deul has the ’Guardians of the eight
directions’ guarding the eight cardinal points of the temple.

Vaital Deul ( C
800 AD)
Vaital Deul is the Shrine of Chamunda (a tantric form of the Goddess
Kali) or Shakti. Seated on a corpse in a dark inner sanctum is the
Goddess Chamunda, garland of skulls round her neck and flanked by a
jackal and an owl. The niches on the inner wall depict equally
startling images along with scenes of tantric rituals. It is the first
of the temples to depict erotic scultpures, it is also unique in that
the outer surface of the vault is plain while profusely embellished on
the inside.

Mukteswara
(C 950 AD)
Often referred to as the "Gem of Orissan Architecture" this temple has
been built on the lines of the Kalinga School of temple architecture.
This temple too is a deviation in that the architects have blended old
and new techniques of planning and execution, Many new innovations in
later temples are from here. A ’Torana’, an arched gateway is a unique
feature of this temple. The temple dedicated Lord Shiva - Mukteswara,
is carved with figures of ascetics in various poses of meditation and
scenes from the store house of Indian fables, the ’Panchatantra’. A
dip in a sacred well to the east of the temple is supposedly a cure
for infertility.

Brahmeswara Temple
(C 1050 AD)
Brahmeswara temple depicts the mature Orissan style of temple
architecture. The Deul and the Jagmohana are both intricately carved
and for the first time in temple architectural history musicians and
dancers appear on the outer walls and iron beams find their first use.
In the western section Chamunda, Siva and other deities are depicted.

Lingaraja (11th
Century AD)
The Lingaraja temple dominates the skyline of Bhubaneswar from as far
away as 15 kms and exhibits the skill of the Orissan temple architects
at its completely mature and developed stage. This temple was
constructed in the 11th AD at the site of an old seventh century
shrine. Along with the Deul and the Jagmohana the Lingaraja temple has
two new structures, the nata mandira (Dance Hall) and the Bhoga
mandapa (offering Hall). Dedicated to Lord Siva the Lingam here is
unique in that it is a hari hara lingam -half Siva and half Vishnu.
Ther are around 150 subsidiary shrines within this giant temple.

During
the last few years, the contemporary art scene in the country has
blossomed into a high profile attention getter, auctioned at never
before prices by international auctioneers. The works of all India’s
best artists are pre sold almost always, but can sometimes be seen at
art galleries in New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Vadodara and
Trivandrum. Art exhibitions are held in these cities from time to
time, and feature solo and group shows. Museums all over the country
exhibit objects that range from finds at archaeological sites,
miniature paintings, royal memorabilia to India’s finest traditional
crafts. Of course, this varies from one museum to another.

New Delhi’s National Museum exhibits a range from terra-cotta
figures of the 5th and 6th centuries BC to exquisitely damascened
swords of the Mughal period. Also in New Delhi, the Crafts Museum
displays the folk art of India. Periodical exhibitions include
textiles, wooden sculptures of coastal India and other thematic
subjects. Jaipur’s City Palace, itself an object of wonder, houses a
collection of royal i2 memorabilia, as do the museums in other parts
of Rajasthan: Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar and Bundi. Each of
these were princely states whose rulers were great patrons of art, and
miniature paintings in the distinctive style of each state forms the
nucleus of many a museum’s treasures. In Gujarat, the city of
Ahmedabad has a sprinkling of museums, all the private collections of
an individual or a family. The Shereyas Museum of Folk Art, the
Calico Museum of Textiles, the Kite Museum and the
Utensils Museum, each display another facet of the rich heritage
of craft traditions of Gujarat. Vadodara’s museum is housed in an old
palace building and includes extremely rare bronze figurines. In the
north, Jammu’s two museums display a valuable collection of miniature
paintings collectively known as ’Pahari’ or hill schools. Srinagar’s
SPS Museum is the only place in India where one can see stone
sculptures of deities executed in the distinctive style that was a
hallmark of Kashmir in the 7th to 11th centuries. Bhopal’s museum
revolves around the considerable tribal skill of Madhya Pradesh, the
focus of which is dhokra figures, made in the lost wax technique out
of bell metal. Pune’s Dinkar Kelkar Museum is the lifelong
collection of one man whose theme was the celebration of everyday life
in art. Ink pots, cooking vessels and betel nut crackers, all display
the wealth of everyday art. Hyderabad’s most famous museum is the
Salar Jung Museum, again a personal collection which features
priceless treasures and whimsical objects side by side. Trivandrum has
a museum whose building is probably the most photographed edifice in
the city. Objects displayed inside are exquisitely carved bronze
temple figures. Cochin has a number of museums housed in buildings
that were built by the Dutch as palaces, and by local rulers. A small
museum on the outskirts of the city is the Museum of Natural
History, the vision of its founder. Sound and light shows bring to
life all the figures exhibited that range from classical dancers to
Portuguese traders. Calcutta too has a museum that was the personal
collection of one family, at Mallick’s Palace. It is impossible
to give a brief account of a subject that requires a full volume to
itself. Every city or town in the country will have a museum featuring
classical, tribal or folk art. Information regarding timings and
special exhibitions will be available at the hotel counter.

The
Orissa State Museum
A visit to the museum provides an instant overview of Orissa as it was
and still is. It has a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper
plates, stone inscriptions, lithic and bronze age tools, rare
manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical
instruments.